From the Courtroom to the Court: I-House Hosts Panel on Law, Sports, and Entertainment
At first glance, a contract negotiation and a championship match might seem worlds apart. But as it happens, they have more in common than you might expect.
On October 30, I-House residents gathered for a fireside chat illustrating how law and business often intertwine behind the scenes of professional sports and entertainment. The event, titled “From the Courtroom to the Court: The Intersection of Law, Sports, & Entertainment,” was organized and hosted by second-year I-House resident Saeed Ahmad. The evening’s panel included Jeffrey Gewirtz, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, BSE Global (Brooklyn Nets); Ashwin Krishnan, Vice President of Business Affairs, Major League Soccer; and Mario Ančić, Principal, One Equity Partners, and former No. 7–ranked ATP tennis player. (Peter Carfagna, Lecturer, Harvard Law School, was also scheduled to join but was delayed by inclement weather.)
“It was a genuine privilege to host this event at International House,” Ahmad said of the talk. “What stood out to me most was not only the quality of the discussion, but the breadth of experience and perspectives represented on the panel. The group really reflected excellence across disciplines.”
The wide-ranging conversation explored how law, business, and culture intersect across the dynamic worlds of professional sports and entertainment. Panelists discussed negotiation strategy, intellectual-property challenges, athlete representation, and the evolving role of media and technology in global sports management.
Other topics of discussion included the meteoric rise of womens’ sports in the U.S., the emergence of private equity as a major player in the business of sports, and the legal and business challenges currently facing professional sports leagues like the National Basketball Association and Major League Soccer. During the Q&A session with residents, panelists also shared advice on overcoming adversity, leveraging genuine relationships with peers and mentors, and the value of maintaining sharp focus on client service.
(To the delight of the audience, Ahmad also asked Ančić to share stories of how he defeated Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray throughout his tennis career
Following the event, Ahmad expressed his gratitude for the speakers and the opportunity to host them, emphasizing how I-House represents a unique environment for bringing people with diverse expertise and lived experiences together under one roof.
“International House reflects an important dimension of America’s promise,” he said. “With residents representing more than 90 countries, I-House demonstrates how individuals from diverse cultural, national, and professional backgrounds can live, learn, and engage constructively with one another. As a proud Pakistani-American, I view I-House as a global convening space. It’s a reminder that the United States can continue to serve as a platform for opportunity when institutions invest in initiatives like this, which open doors for participants and allow listeners to learn directly from decades of experience and deep institutional knowledge.”